KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia clinched the Merdeka Football Tournament title for the 13th time with a 1-0 win over Lebanon in the final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil here last night.
The Harimau Malaya, under the guidance of new coach Pau Marti Vicente, got the winner through naturalised player Romel Morales in the 33rd minute.
The victory over world number 116 Lebanon allowed world number 134 Malaysia to regain the title they last won in 2013. The Merdeka Tournament, the oldest football competition in Asia, was introduced on Aug 31, 1957.
Earlier, Vicente made six changes to the starting 11 who featured against the Philippines on Wednesday (Sept 4) by bringing in midfielders Endrick Dos Santos and Muhammad Safawi Rasid; striker Muhammad Syafiq Ahmad and defender La’vere Corbin Ong.
The changes worked wonders and Vicente’s strategy delighted the roughly 10,000 supporters with a bold, fast and steady style of play as Malaysia signalled their intent as early as in the seventh minute when Muhammad Safawi’s well-taken freekick was pushed out by Lebanon goalkeeper Mehdi Khalil.
Malaysia continued to dominate the proceedings and finally broke the deadlock when Morales swept home a pass from Dos Santos in the 33rd minute.
Lebanon, under the guidance of coach Miodrag Radulovic, were nearly punished a second time but Mehdi did well to save a close-range attempt by substitute winger Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi, who dribbled past a defender before unleashing a left-footed shot.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper was again called into action in the 57th minute as he brilliantly closed the space to smother a weak attempt by Muhammad Akhyar Abdul Rashid from close range.
Lebanon had a good chance to equalise in the 67th minute but striker Karim Darwich, in one of their sporadic attacks, headed the ball straight at national goalkeeper Ahmad Syihan Hazmi Mohamed.
Lebanon then found themselves down to 10 men when defender Khalil Khamis was sent off for a second bookable offence after fouling Muhammad Akhyar in the 78th minute.
Malaysia controlled the game to register their first win over Lebanon after losing twice to them in the group stages of the 2019 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
The win is also a meaningful one for Vicente as he managed to guide Malaysia to their first trophy after just two matches in charge, having replaced Kim Pan Gon who resigned unexpectedly in July. – BERNAMA
